This is why Meghan and Harry’s future daughter could make history

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An old law being fought in court could have significant implications for Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry, should the couple have any daughters in the future.

Currently, five women are fighting against a law that says only sons can inherit ‘hereditary peerages’.

At the moment, only men can recieve titles including dukedoms, from their parents. So any daughter that Harry and Meghan may have, will not be bestowed with the title, despite the fact that Harry is a Duke, and Meghan is a Duchess.

The women, who are all Lady’s, are putting forward a case to the European Court of Human Rights, (ECHR) that this law should be changed.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams explained the prediciment to the Independent, and how the law currently affects Meghan and Harry.

He said, “Under the current system, any child of the Duke and Duchess won’t automatically have a royal title.

“The peerage, unlike the succession to the crown, favours males and if they have only daughters, the title of Sussex could die out as it did before.”

The sixth son of King George III, Prince Augustus Frederick, was originally given the title of Duke of Sussex, in 1843. The title however died out with him.

The case regarding peerages was recently put forward in Strasbourg, France, by five women who are all daughters of peers, but, due to the rule, are not able to sit in the House of Lords alongside their male peers.

A decision has not yet been made, at the time of reporting.

But if the law is eradicated, Harry and Meghan’s future daughter will make history, by likely being the first female baby in the royal family to inherit a dukedom.

Despite the confusion, it’s thought that any future children of Harry and Meghan’s could well be given royal titles by the Queen, if the Duke and Duchess decide that they want them to have them.

Many have disputed whether they will be Prince and Princesses, given that Harry is not Prince Charles’ eldest son.

Tradition, as set by King George V, usually states that only the “eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales” should be given the title of Prince.

This would have meant that only Prince George, as Prince William’s son, and Charles’ eldest grandson, should get the Prince title.

However, in 2012, Queen Elizabeth II issued a letters patent stating that all children of William’s should “enjoy the style, title and attribute of royal highness”.